Genius Bordering Insanity

Monday, 25 September 2017

General Information

Publisher: Purely Paranormal Press

Author: Patti Larsen

Year of publication: May
30th 2015

Number of pages: 299

Plot summary: (blurb)

Trash Heaven has been Didi Duke’s home for as long as she
can remember. The dumping ground of the galaxy provides her with everything
she’s ever needed or wanted. Except, maybe, the attention of her inventor
father, always busy with his next creation. Good thing he’s passed on his
talents to his sixteen-year-old daughter. With the company of her best
friend—the cyborg crow, Pip—Didi is happy to scour her territory for treasures
discarded as trash. But, when an evil Underlord kidnaps her father, Didi can no
longer hide herself away in the garbage. Her plan to resurrect a retired cyborg
gunslinger and rescue her dad leads her into danger and the heart of the
rotting planet—TrashCity.
She’ll figure out the rest of her plan—eventually.

Positive points

I really enjoyed reading this story. It's one of the most
enjoyable stories I have read for a while. I loved the characters, human and
none-human. It was a perfect mix of goodies and baddies with a story-line
filled with twists and turns. There was plenty of action to keep me turning the
pages. I looked forward to getting my Kindle out at work and was sad when the
story ended leaving me wanting more! Hats off to the author!

Negative points

There was nothing negative. The book was well written in 3rd
person perspective and showing the story from two points of view. It worked
well. It was also well edited.

What makes this book unique

The characters made this story unique to me. The robotic
crow was a touch of genius.

Overall impression

A very well written and well edited story that I enjoyed
very much. I totally recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a bit of sci-fi
and a lot of adventure.

My rating

Amazon US:

Amazon UK:

Meet the author

I'm an award winning writer with a passion for the voices in
my head. With many (many!) titles across many (many!) genres, all in happy
publication, there's no end in sight...

That being said, I'm short (permanent), slightly round
(changeable) and blonde (for ever and ever). I love to talk one on one about
the deepest topics and can't seem to stop seeing the big picture. I happily
live on Prince Edward Island, Canada,
home to Anne of Green Gables and the most beautiful red beaches in the world,
with my very patient husband and multiple cats, pug overlord and lady and Gypsy
Vanner gelding, Fynn.

Thursday, 31 August 2017

General Information

Publisher: WiDo Plublishing

Year of publication: 2010

Author: Tamara Hart Heiner

Number of pages: 265

Plot summary: (blurb)

Jaci Rivera joins her best friends Callie, Sara and Amanda
for a night of pizza and shopping. But an evening at the mall turns into a
terrifying twist of events that drive Jaci and her friends 2000 miles across
the Canadian border. The girls find themselves alone and running from unknown
enemies on all sides, and not even the police can be trusted. . . . Detective
Carl Hamilton is called out on a homicide case where the partially decayed body
of an unidentified teenage girl is found along a remote highway. He is drawn
into a life and death race to stop the killers before they strike again.

Positive points

I really enjoyed reading this story. It kept me on the edge
of my seat with the many twists and turns. The suspense was awesome and left me
really rooting for the characters. Each one came over as realistic through
different POVs. It was very well written, absolutely flawless. Great job,
Tamara.

Negative points

I found nothing negative about this book.

What makes this book unique

It is not something I would normally read, so to me it was
unique and very enjoyable.

Overall impression

A great and suspenseful story.

My rating

It has to be a big, fat five stars!

Meet the author

I live in Arkansas
with my husband and four children, two crazy boys and two pretty little
princesses.

I am the author of the young adult suspense PERILOUS series
(DELIVERER, PERILOUS, ALTERCATION, and PRICELESS), INEVITABLE, LAY ME DOWN, and
the Cassandra Jones saga. My non-fiction book about the Joplin
tornado came out in May, 2014.

Thursday, 15 June 2017

General Information

Publisher: Self Published

Date of publication: 7th
May 2016

Author: C. Lee McKenzie

Number of pages: 182

Plot summary: (blurb)

Three plucky sleuths. A crumbling skeleton. A buried
treasure. After six months in a new school, Sam’s finally fitting in. He’s the
one kid with enough talent to hit the winning home run and bring the baseball
trophy back to Haggarty Elementary. But Sam’s guardian is shipping him off to
boarding school before that can happen. When team mates, Joey and Roger, hear
his bad news, they plot to hide him until the big game. Their secret cave is a
perfect place until an earthquake shatters a wall and reveals a wooden chest
with a red-eyed dragon carved into its top. Inside, a bony hand clutches a map
with a note, promising treasure. With Joey and Roger, Sam sets off to track
down the clues and hopefully discover treasure. When some puzzle pieces start
to make sense, the boys become lost in a labyrinth of underground tunnels,
trapped by dangerous thieves and sealed inside an airless tomb.

Positive points

This was a great adventure story for kids. It was well written
and well paced, with plenty of twists and turns to keep young minds
entertained. It reminded me of the type of adventure I would have love to go on
as a kid AND as an adult. Funny enough, I just got myself a metal detector to go
on a real treasure hunt myself and this story was the perfect inspiration.

Negative points

I didn't really find anything negative with this story.

What makes this book unique

I loved the oriental dragon aspect bringing the two cultures
together to add even more mystery.

Overall impression

A great fun-filled adventure that was a mix between Indiana
Jones and The Pirates of the Caribbean.

My rating:

Book links:

Meet the author, C. Lee McKenzie

My Passions:

Besides reading and writing, I love to do two
things: I love to hike. I love to practice Yoga. Well, three things if you
count eating. I love to eat. That’s why I love to hike. Might as well make it
four things, because I love to spend time with my family and friends. Wait! I
love to grow my own salad. And cats—I love to grow them too, so now I’m up to
six things I’m passionate about. I know there’s more, but I’m out of space and
you don’t need to be bored.

My Favorite Books:

Anything with Hobbits.

Anything Stephen King writes, except I don’t like some of
those stories at night when I’m alone or even if I’m not because I’m a real
sissy in the dark.

Anything with a dragon in the title or on the cover.

Barbara Kingsolver’s books.

Edgy Joyce Carol Oates books.

E.B.White’s Essays, and stories that start, “Once upon a
time . . . .”

Monday, 12 June 2017

General Information

Publisher: Self-published

Date of publication: October 24, 2016

Number of chapters: 36

Author: Ralene Burke

Plot summary: (blurb)

A haven for myths and legends . . . until evil discovers a
way in.

With evil darkening the mountains to the north, the fairy
queen, Fauna, must journey from the island realm of Bellanok to the modern
world to find the man the Creator appointed to save their kingdom. A man she
has been dreaming of her whole life.

Brian is a down-on-his-luck pastor on the verge of giving up
on God. He's tired and frustrated--a failure. No sooner does he make a decision
that jeopardizes his career than an unusual blonde woman shows up and tries to
convince him he is some kind of savior.

Fauna must open Brian's eyes to a different reality, and
Brian needs to embrace the haven's secrets. If neither of them succeeds,
Bellanok will succumb to evil and the world will lose all trace of innocence.

Positive points

This was a great fantasy adventure aimed at the Christian
fiction market. I loved the realistic characters that really brought the story
to life. The story was filled with all kinds of mythical creatures brought
together in a battle between good and evil having to fight against impossible
odds. I really enjoyed the story never knowing where the story would go in the
many twists and turns. A great book by a great author!

Negative points

I wasn't quite sure of what age group this story was aimed
at. It read similar to a children's fiction story, but with adult main characters.
Not that that is actually a negative point, but the only negative thing I could
come up with.

What makes this book unique

For me it was the first time I have read a fantasy aimed at
Christian fiction market so this was unique for me.

Overall impression

If you are a lover of fantasy but don't like in-depth
descriptions of blood and gore then this will be perfect for you! A great adult
fantasy.

My rating

As I don't have anything really negative to say about this
story, it has to be five shiny stars!

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Meet the author

BIO:

On the day I was born, the doctor’s told my parents I
probably wouldn’t live. I had a large tumor in my neck, and it was growing by
the hour. When they finally removed this man-fist-sized tumor, the experts said
I would be mentally and physically handicapped for the rest of my life, unable to
care for myself.

Boy, did we prove them wrong!

Today, I not only take care of myself, I balance a husband,
3 kids, a career, and homeschooling. Granted, there’s often plenty of dirty
dishes in the sink and toys on the floor, but who cares? I’m wrangling
Spiderman, teaching princesses to sing, and pursuing my passions—what’s better
than that?

I became a Christian when I was young. The miracle
surrounding my survival pretty much sealed the deal. And, except for a few
rebellious years, I’ve spent my life pursuing His calling—to change lives with
the written word.

This calling started out in fiction novels, where I spin
fast-paced tales of angels and demons, fantasy worlds, and the broader calling
of every human being.

But the passion didn’t stop there!

The deeper I delved into the publishing world, the more I
realized that I loved critiquing and editing—and I was pretty good at it. So, I
took some classes, joined a couple of organizations, and committed part of my
career to making other writers’ work SHINE!

Finally, there was only one natural outlet for my addiction
to social media—get paid for it! So, I’ve been studying up on the various
platforms and the mental marketing tactics in an effort to help other writers
and publishing-related organizations grow their social media platforms. It’s a
lot of fun.

So, join me on this crazy journey we call life, business,
and the pursuit of happiness! Don’t be afraid to ask questions, weigh in with
your opinions, or share your knowledge. I love hearing from people! (There’s a
lot of love, as you can see.)

Monday, 8 May 2017

General Information

Publisher: SFBC; First Edition edition

Year of publication: May
1, 2002

Number of chapters: Varied (3 volumes)

Number of pages: 1152 pages

Plot summary: (blurb)

This complete "Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the
Unbeliever" contains the books "Lord Foul's Bane", "The
Illearth War" and "The Power that Preserves". The first
chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the Unbeliever is a fantasy series written by
Stephen Donaldson. The series follows the principle character of Thomas
Covenant who is a disillusioned, bitter and very cynical writer afflicted with
leprosy. Shunned by society, Thomas is hit by a car and awakes in a strange
alternate world full of strange creatures and magic.

Positive points

I have always been a high fantasy fan and this is the first
time I have read a Stephan Donaldson novel. I have to say the media hype was
correct. These books definitely deserves to be among the classic fantasy
legends. It had everything a proper fantasy should have and by the end of the
book I was on the edge of my seat, caring so much for the characters. I cried,
I'm not ashamed to say. Admittedly, that is nothing unusual for me, but still.
Great series!

Negative points

When I first started reading this series I got about
two-hundred pages in and stopped reading for quite a long time. I struggled to
get into it. I think the problem was, I disliked the main character at first.
But as my wife bought me this as a present, knowing I wanted to read it, I
thought I should at least try to read it. And I am so glad I did! And I was
rooting for the main character long before finishing the first book.

What makes this book unique

I would have to say the main character. This guy who suffers
from leprosy and all the issues that go along with this condition thrown into a
fantasy world really was quite unique. The most unusual hero.

Friday, 27 January 2017

General Information

Publisher: Random House Children's Books

Year of publication: December
1, 2015

Age Group: 9-12 Years

Number of pages: 272 Print version

Plot summary: (blurb)

The Begonia House keeps its secrets. Everyone knows that.
Everyone, that is, except for clever eleven-year old Fairday Morrow, whose
family has just moved in. Being the Senior Investigator in the Detective
Mystery Squad, more commonly known as the DMS, she’s ready to uncover the
mysteries hidden within the strange manor. As the investigation gears up and
the pieces of the puzzle fall into place, the three young sleuths enter into a
world where anything is possible, and the danger is most definitely real. Can
they piece together the puzzle before it's too late? Or will whatever's causing
trouble find Fairday and her friends first?

Positive points

This was a great, well written story that will appeal to any
children (and big adult type children) who love a good mystery story. It has
very real, likeable characters that embark on a scary adventure (but not too
scary) to discover the strange goings-on in a manor steeped in mystery. It is a
real fun read and will keep you guessing all the way to the end.

There are a few scatterings of wonderfully drawn
illustrations throughout the book that will help fire up the imagination of the
younger readers. A nice touch! I'm so jealous, I want some in my books too!

Negative points

I have absolutely nothing negative to say about this book.

Overall impression

This is a great story filled with likable characters. The
perfect addition to any school library. I highly recommend this book.

My rating

Five big shiny stars!

Meet the authors

Jessica Haight

Jessica is a true New Englander with a love of the ocean and
the four seasons. She enjoys drawing while standing up and cultivating magic in
her garden. Jessica easily floats away with a good story and is still waiting
for her owl from Hogwarts. She lives in Connecticut
with her family.

Stephanie Robinson

Stephanie lives with her husband in a quiet town, though not
as quaint as Ashpot. After teaching fifth grade for almost fifteen years, she
is now enjoying her role as a school media specialist. One of the many benefits
of her job is that she learns something new every day. When Stephanie isn't
working, she spends her time creating stories, getting lost in books, and
traveling to new places.

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About Me

I am a writer of children's books, (Middle Grade.) I have published the first book in my fantasy series, Truth Teller. I also have a fantasy/sci-fi novel, Unknown Reality, that I have just completed and is about to enter the submission process. I have various other books in the pipeline including a MG novel aged at younger children, The World in Johnny's Back Garden. Please click on the book covers above to read excerpts of my stories.